Method for controlling an aerospace system to put a payload into an orbit

Abstract

Aerospace technology, in particular, methods for orbital injection of payloads (communication satellites, monitoring satellites, etc.) into low and medium earth orbits with the aid of aerospace systems comprising a carrier aircraft (CA) and a launch vehicle (LV) with a payload (PL). In the present method, after the CA 1 takeoff from the base aerodrome, its flight in the maximum cruising speed mode to the LV 2 launch area, pitchdown 7 of the CA 1 is effected to gain the maximum permissible horizontal flight speed, and at the moment that speed is attained, CA 1 pitchup 8 with the maximum allowable angle of attack is executed, culminating in transition to an angle of attack with a near-zero g-load (zero-gravity condition), with the pitchup parameters chosen so that at the LV 2 with PL 3 point of separation from the CA 1 , the CA 1 has attained a speed V D , flight altitude H D and a trajectory pitch angle O d ensuring a maximum PL 3 and a near-zero normal g-load 9 . Separation of the LV 2 from the CA 1 is executed, imparting the LV 2 with a CA 1 related speed assuring that the LV 2 lags behind the CA 1 at a safe distance 10 , then the LV 2 sustainers are fired, and, either prior to the sustainers' ignition, or after the ignition (by sustainers), the launch vehicle with the PL 3 is turned into a position differing form the vertical by an angle of 10-30 ° in the vertical plane in the launch direction 11 . At the LV 2 -PL 3 separation point 22 , the CA 1 position is stabilized in an inertial coordinate system. The present invention makes it possible to safely, efficiently and with maximum payload capacity, place payloads into designated orbits and deliver payloads to given terrestrial and oceanic areas.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method for controlling an aerospace system to put a payload into an orbit, comprising the steps of starting a carrier aircraft  1  with a launch vehicle  2  and the payload  3  on board from a base aerodrome  4 , flying it to a launch area  5  of the launch vehicle, separating the launch vehicle from the lagging the launch vehicle  2  behind the carrier aircraft  1  with subsequent launch of the launch vehicle  2  to a predetermined trajectory point and separation of the payload  3  from the launch vehicle  2 , wherein the carrier aircraft  1  at a maximum cruising speed mode  6  in the launch area  5  of the launch vehicle  2  performs a dive  7  to gain a maximum permissible horizontal flight speed, at a moment that speed is reached by the carrier aircraft, a pitchup  8  is effected at a maximum permissible angle of attack, terminating with a transition  9  to an angle of attack ensuring a near-zero normal g-loading, wherein said pitchup parameters are chosen so as to be adequate to the achievement, at a preset time t p , of a flight trajectory point where a design flight speed V D , a flight altitude H D  and trajectory pitch angle φ D  provide a maximum launch vehicle  2  payload  3 , as well as to ensure subsequent flight to the carrier aircraft  1  with allowable parameters both after separating the launch vehicle  2  and in the case of emergency non-separating the launch vehicle  2 , after the carrier aircraft  1  reaches at the preset time t p  a flight path point with V D , H D , φ D  parameters and with the near-zero normal g-loading, the launch vehicle  2  is separated from the carrier aircraft  1  and imparted with a speed relative to the carrier aircraft  1  equal to a design speed  10  at which the launch vehicle  2  lags behind the carrier aircraft  1  at a safe distance at a moment the launch vehicle  2  sustainers are ignited, and before the launch of the launch vehicle  2  to a scheduled trajectory point, the launch vehicle  2  mated with the payload  3  is turned  11  to a position differing from the vertical by an angle of 10-30° in a vertical plane in the launch direction. 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein turning of the launch vehicle  2  prior to its launch with the payload  3  into the scheduled trajectory point is executed by sustainers after their ignition. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein turning of the launch vehicle  2  prior to its launch with a payload  3  into the scheduled trajectory point is executed by an additional jet engine prior to the sustainers ignition. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein separating of the launch vehicle  2  from the carrier aircraft  1  is effected, stabilizing a position of the carrier aircraft in an inertial coordinate system.